How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Eh, my lad, my lad!" Lisbeth burst out immediately, her wailing impulse returning, for grief in its freshness feels the need of associating its loss and its lament with every change of scene and incident, "thee'st got nobody now but thy old mother to torment thee and be a burden to thee. Thy poor feyther 'ull ne'er anger thee no more; an' thy mother may's well go arter him—the sooner the better—for I'm no good to nobody now. One old coat 'ull do to patch another, but it's good for nought else. Thee'dst like to ha' a wife to mend thy clothes an' get thy victual, better nor thy old mother. An' I shall be nought but cumber, a-sittin' i' th' chimney-corner. (Adam winced and moved uneasily; he dreaded, of all things, to hear his mother speak of Hetty.) But if thy feyther had lived, he'd ne'er ha' wanted me to go to make room for another, for he could no more ha' done wi'out me nor one side o' the scissars can do wi'out th' other. Eh, we should ha' been both flung away together, an' then I shouldna ha' seen this day, an' one buryin' 'ud ha' done for us both." (10.13)
Lisbeth bemoans the role that she plays in the Bedes' family life. Which is nice, because Adam often bemoans her. Yet Lisbeth is aware of her son's intolerance for weakness. Her constant complaints and outbursts seem, on some level, to be an attempt to move Adam to pity and remorse. Yeah, the logic of this is pretty backwards. But it is what it is.
Quote #5
Nature has written out his bride's character for him in those exquisite lines of cheek and lip and chin, in those eyelids delicate as petals, in those long lashes curled like the stamen of a flower, in the dark liquid depths of those wonderful eyes. How she will dote on her children! She is almost a child herself, and the little pink round things will hang about her like florets round the central flower; and the husband will look on, smiling benignly, able, whenever he chooses, to withdraw into the sanctuary of his wisdom, towards which his sweet wife will look reverently, and never lift the curtain. It is a marriage such as they made in the golden age, when the men were all wise and majestic and the women all lovely and loving. (15.7)
In this passage, Adam analyzes Hetty's character and imagines the familial bliss that he and Hetty will enjoy. Adam feels certain that Hetty, with his guidance and protection, will be a reverent, loving wife. This definitely doesn't pan out, but it's a nice little dream.
Quote #6
Old Martin opened the gate as he saw the family procession approaching, and held it wide open, leaning on his stick—pleased to do this bit of work; for, like all old men whose life has been spent in labour, he liked to feel that he was still useful—that there was a better crop of onions in the garden because he was by at the sowing—and that the cows would be milked the better if he stayed at home on a Sunday afternoon to look on. He always went to church on Sacrament Sundays, but not very regularly at other times; on wet Sundays, or whenever he had a touch of rheumatism, he used to read the three first chapters of Genesis instead. (18.9)
Old Martin does not play an integral role in the Poysers' social life. But he is there, doing his thing. And he is motivated not by self-absorption, but by a quaint belief that his tangential activities are important to the whole family. He also goes to Sacrament Sunday, which is not to be confused with Throwback Thursday or Taco Tuesday.